Malicious Intent

While waiting for the Admiral alongside Arika and Fenrir, Vahn, accompanied by Eva and Asuna, decided to explore Zephyria. It was particularly popular as a tourist destination, thanks in large part to the Sky Pirates that patrolled its periphery, but, as could be expected from the infamous City of Freedom, there were a number of activities to alleviate one's boredom.

Though the most popular activities were participating in or watching the various races taking place around the city, there were also a number of casinos and entertainment centers present. There was even a theme park located to the North of the Skyfarers Association Headquarters, a place teeming with magically powered roller coasters and other thrill-seeking attractions.

Unfortunately, even if they wanted to go thrill-seeking, most rides simply lost their charm when you could move faster than them. Even Asuna could achieve bursts of speed close to 4500km/h, close to ten times the top speed of the fastest roller coasters. When you accounted for the fact she could fly for short periods of time, most thrill-seeking activities simply couldn't compete.

Instead of choosing where they should go, Vahn allowed Asuna to explore freely while he and Eva followed close behind. It was important for Asuna to be able to act independently every now and then, as, despite her age, she was both very mature and incredibly powerful. She needed to be able to interact with the world around her without others telling her what to do. This included allowing her to make mistakes and resolve her own problems, so, even when a group of slightly older boys called out to her, Vahn and Eva vanished into the void, watching her from afar...

Though Asuna was still young, she already had the makings of a beauty. This, combined with the fact she was wearing high-quality clothes while walking around with obvious intrigue on her face, made her stand out quite a bit. Several people had already marked her as an outsider, and, though most illegal activities generally occurred in the lower levels, closer to the ground, there were still a number of Sky Pirates, Mercenaries, and other disreputable types that walked around without any particular regard for others.

Assuming Asuna was the daughter of a wealthy merchant, several people had already marked her as a potential target. The sword on her back didn't deter them in the slightest, but, in order to avoid scrutiny, they sent their younger members to accost her. These were children they had picked up in the slums located near the base of the finger mountains, so, as could be expected, they were eager to prove themselves and had very few inhibitions about targetting other children...

Despite looking in the complete opposite direction, Asuna easily side-stepped a blond-haired boy that was nearly forty-centimeters taller than her. He had attempted to bump into her in order to try and accuse her of knocking into him, but, despite a concerted attempt to slam his shoulder into her tiny body, he ended up losing his balance and nearly tripped as a result of her effortless evasion.

As if she had only just noticed the group of boys that had loosely surrounded her, Asuna tilted her head slightly to the side as she plainly asked, "Why did you try and shove me? Did someone tell you to cause a scene...?"

Without waiting for the boys' response, Asuna directed her attention towards a group of four men and one woman sitting near an alleyway. She instantly understood what was going on the moment she saw the expression in their eyes, so, before the blond-haired boy could successfully grab one of her twin-tails, Asuna swat his hand aside before flickering away.

Feeling an incredibly sharp pain in his hand, the blond-haired boy released an anguished scream as his right hand dangled limply from his wrist. This drew a considerable of attention, but, before the majority were able to make sense of the situation, a loud crashing sound could be heard as the bald man eyeing her was sent flying by the much-smaller Asuna. At nearly the exact same moment, she kicked the knee of another man, using it as a springboard while completely shattering it. It was only at that point that the other three people responded, but, similar to a graphical glitch, Asuna's body couldn't be seen clearly as she made short work of the other three.

From start to finish, it took less than three seconds for Asuna to process the situation and deal with it in the most efficient way possible. In the end, there were the bodies of five adults lying limply on the ground, while, at the side, the blond-haired boy, abandoned by his 'friends', cradled his broken wrist with tears streaming down his vengeance-filled face. He didn't dare attack, but, if looks could kill, Asuna would have been ground into meat paste by his glare alone.

Ignoring the gazes of the surrounding pedestrians, Asuna stared back at the boy, her smiling face now an emotionless deadpan as she plainly stated, "If you continue down this path, the only thing you will accomplish is hurting yourself and others. Only weaklings and cowards blame the people they intended to victimize. I hope you are able to make better decisions in the future. Not everyone will show you the same mercy I have today."

Having said what she intended to say, Asuna continued on her previous path, this time locking eyes with anyone intently focused on her. Her previous display was enough to deter most people, but, at the same time, it also garnered her a considerable amount of attention from those who considered themselves powerful or wanted to recruit strong members into their crews. To many, Asuna was like an unpolished gem, and, if they could recruit her, it was the same as securing a powerful ally for the future...

Before she could even get out of earshot from the blond-haired boy, Asuna found her path blocked by a woman with long orange hair and a tanned body. She stood out quite a bit with her pleated skirt and a matching checkered blouse that was tied together at the front like a bikini top. The rest of her outfit consisted of a blue trenchcoat, a large brown satchel, several belts, a whip, a series of small daggers, and, most notably, an oversized blunderbuss pistol. She also had on a blue cap that came complete with a pair of goggles, but, compared to the rest of her outfit, it didn't stand out as much...

With her arms crossed under her modest yet shapely breasts, the woman showed a friendly and excited smile on her face as she said, "You've got moxie, kid! Names Mitty, but you can just call me Cap'n. How 'bout joinin' my crew and sailin' through the skies together? Most of my crews female so you wouldn' have ta worry about any of these mangy bastards tryin' ta lay their mitts on ya~!"

As she didn't sense any hostility from the woman and her companions, Asuna offered a polite smile before bowing slightly and answering, "Thank you, but I have no intention of joining anyone's crew. I already have traveling companions and we are already on an important mission."

Hearing Asuna's response, the woman theatrically smacked her own forehead, her smile not fading in the slightest as she exclaimed, "Of course sum'n as amazin' as you'd already have a crew! Damn, that's a real shame! Guess it's mah own fault fer not scoutin' ya sooner! Well, if you ever change yer min' or need sum'n ta find a rare treasure, 'member us, would ya? Ain't none better at searchin' for treasure as me 'n my crew, Fortuna's Favor!"

Following her rather bold claim, Mitty released a rowdy laugh before patting Asuna on the shoulder and turning to her crew, saying, "Come on, girls, let's make merry before the lass' rejection gets me in the slumps! Ahahahaha~!"

With the woman's laughter echoing in her ears, Asuna's smile became slightly wry as each member of Mitty's crew either pat her on the shoulder or ruffled her hair. At the same time, from within the void, Vahn and Eva couldn't help but lightly chuckle at her expense...

---

After waiting for nearly an hour within a museum-like office that was lined with hundreds of scale models of Airfish, Vahn, Arika, and Fenrir all turned their attention towards a door located discreetly around a pillar at the back of the room. From the other side of the door, a woman with burgundy-hair, caramel skin, and a shapely figure entered. She was attired in a frill-collared blouse with puffy sleeves that showed off her ample cleavage, a leather bodice, and form-fitting leather chaps that seemed to be on the verge of tearing apart due to her muscular and toned thighs. As for the rest of her outfit, she had on fingerless gloves, a red sash, a belt with a skull motif, leather boots, and, most notably, a stylish black captain's jacket with a flared collar that hung off her shoulders like a Marine Admiral from the Record of One Piece.

Vahn was slightly surprised by the Admiral's beauty, not just because she had a striking and heroic visage but because she was unmistakably a descendent of the Crimson Scarlet. They were virtually identical to each other, with the only differences being their hair-style and apparent age; so, after seeing the Heroic figure in the flesh, Vahn couldn't help but admire her. She was like a less chaotic version of Drake, and, despite a rather vicious and confident appearance, her aura was calm and placid like the sea before a powerful storm...

After tracing her pale blue eyes over everyone else present, the Admiral situated her gaze on Vahn, her brows furrowing almost imperceptibly as she said, "I apologize for the delay. The meeting took longer than normal once word of your arrival reached the council. Though we are privileged to play host to a Princess of Vespertatia's party, the reputation of the Sage Dragon Emperor is such that our investors can't help but feel nervous by your presence..."

Since she was looking toward him while speaking, Vahn offered a casual smile in response to the Admiral's words, following them by stating, "I do not go out of my way to seek trouble. Rather, it is the actions of others that invite my wrath upon them. Unless they have a guilty conscience, there is no reason to fear my presence."

Hearing Vahn's response, the Admiral furrowed her brows even further as she added, "We have our own means of keeping the peace. It is not your place to pass judgment upon our people. If you find something amiss, report it to the proper authorities or inform me directly. I would rather resolve the situation personally than leave it to an outsider. If you are unwilling to compromise, I would ask that you leave this country and never return. Zephyria has enough trouble without some random dragon acting like a vigilante within its lands."

Rather than showing any offense to the woman's abrasive words, Vahn couldn't help but smile as he plainly stated, "I will take action where I deem necessary. The affairs and interest of Zephyria mean very little to me. I will protect Mundus Magicus, and, if I see something that needs correcting, I will do what I must to resolve it. You are free to try and stop me, but, if you think it is nobler to side with criminals, I will have little choice but to treat you as an accomplice for trying to enable them..."

By the time Vahn had finished speaking, the Admiral had a glowering expression, her pale-blue eyes shimmering with magical light. Despite this, she radiated no actual hostility. Instead, the glow in her eyes gradually faded away, a tired sigh escaping her lips as she muttered, "How troublesome..."

Following her exasperated display, the Admiral walked over to a cabinet located behind the large desk near the back of the room. She opened the ornate wooden doors to reveal several shelves of rare alcohols, crystalline cups, and shot glasses. Then, after taking a swig from a particularly fragrant whiskey, she dexterously grabbed a few glasses with her fingers, setting them on the desk before asking, "I'm familiar with the vices of Dragons. Tell me, do Princesses of Vespertatia drink? I'm not fond of discussing business without a few drinks to warm my body."

Since the conversation had been between Vahn and the Admiral, Arika had been patiently standing at the center of the room the entire time it was taking place. As for Fenrir, she had been glaring at the Admiral with her scarlet eyes, but, as the latter hadn't shown any actual hostility, she also chose to remain silent.

In response to the offer, Arika lightly shook her head, answering, "I do not have the habit of social drinking. If it will ease tensions, however, I will not insist that you refrain."

Though she wasn't surprised by Arika's response, the Admiral couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes as she filled up two 8oz glasses with a rich brown liquor. Then, without asking directly, she sent a glance towards Fenrir while holding the bottle over a third glass.

Understanding the Admiral's intent, Fenrir shook her head before stating matter-of-factly, "I would rather drink the alcohol provided by Master. That might be a very expensive brand, but, compared to Master's, everything else might as well be water."

Hearing Fenrir's remark, Vahn couldn't help but lightly chuckle at the fact that she never missed the opportunity to somehow praise him. This drew an annoyed look from the Admiral, but, rather than back down, he nodded affirmingly before stating, "Fenrir is correct. That bottle in your hand should be the famous Siren's Tears, a rare import from Sirenum. The quality isn't bad, but, compared to the brands I keep in stock, there really is no comparison. I even have wines brewed by literal Gods, their potency so great that a single drop could turn a small pond into potent alcohol."

Noticing the skepticism visible in the Admiral's gaze, Vahn punctuated his statement by pulling out what appeared to be a green glass bottle that had been left at the bottom of the ocean for several centuries. It was covered in brackish markings, and, at several spots on the surface, living barnacles could be seen. Despite this, what truly stood out was the pulsing green light that emanated from the bottle, its rhythm matching that of a beating heart...

With the peculiar bottle in hand, Vahn walked over to the Admiral's desk, picking up one of the empty glasses as he explained, "This is a type of rum known as the [Call of Cthulhu]. Those with weaker wills would be overwhelmed after a single swig. If you have the courage to empty an entire bottle, it is said that you would even be able to stare into the abyss without flinching..."

Despite its rather peculiar external appearance, the rum poured by Vahn was a crystal-clear brown liquid with a reddish tint. It emanated a potent aroma of fruit and medicine, but, most notably, just looking at the liquid was enough to captivate most people. It was almost like there was a voice in the back of your mind compelling you to drink the aromatic beverage, and, before she realized it, the Admiral had already accepted the glass proffered by Vahn. It wasn't until the liquid was already pouring down her throat that the thought of it being poisoned crossed her mind, but, by then, it was already too late for regrets...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Imagine Asuna balancing on the front of a roller coaster without any of the straps...','Side Story: Mitty's Grand Adventure~!','Vahn's bad habit is acting up...')

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